A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.

It is possible to develop
hypertension
with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing hypertension. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.

Blood vessels lose flexibility as you get older, which makes it easier to develop hypertension. Although hypertension can develop at any age, risk begins to increase after 35 years of age. Hypertension is most common in people aged 65 years and older.

Men are generally at greater risk for hypertension than pre-menopausal women, but women's risk increases and is slightly greater than that of a man after
menopause
.

African-Americans tend to have higher rates of hypertension, develop it earlier, and have more severe hypertension.

Other risk factors include:

Genetics

Hypertension can be common in some families. If you have close relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings) with hypertension, you may be at increased risk of hypertension.

Specific Lifestyle Factors

Smoking
—Smoking causes blood vessels to narrow, raising blood pressure. This repeated behavior can lead to permanent damage to the blood vessels and increase your risk of developing hypertension.

Stress
—Hormones released by your body when you are under stress can increase your blood pressure. This may aggravate high blood pressure in genetically susceptible individuals.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions affect the health of blood vessels, impair circulation, and make the heart work harder to circulate blood. Over time, these conditions can lead to hypertension. Some conditions contribute to hypertension slowly, over a long period of time. These conditions include:

Pre-eclampsia
is an increase in blood pressure during pregnancy. In most cases, blood pressure normalizes after the baby's birth. However, having a history of preeclampsia increases your risk of developing hypertension.

Certain Medications

Some medications cause blood vessels to constrict, which makes your blood pressure rise. Over time, this increases your risk of hypertension. Some of these include:

Oral contraceptives
—Taking oral contraceptives may increase your risk of hypertension in certain situations. You are more likely to develop hypertension while taking oral contraceptives if you:

Have a family history of hypertension

Have kidney disease

Are overweight

Had hypertension during pregnancy

Other medications—Certain medications can increase your risk of high blood pressure and/or interfere with medications you may take to lower your blood pressure. These include:

Steroids

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs), such as naproxen and ibuprofen

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Who is at risk for high blood pressure? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/atrisk.
Updated September 10, 2015. Accessed September 20, 2016.